Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
Say hwat?! 'Anxious' versus 'eager.' Pink stein.
Aug 29, 2023
Join linguistics professor and author Valerie Fridland as she discusses the evolution of discourse markers in English from Beowulf's time to today. Discover how people's perceptions of using 'anxious' to mean 'eager' are changing and how this impacts your writing.
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Quick takeaways
- Discourse markers have evolved throughout the history of the English language, serving as subtle clues and connectors in communication.
- The interchangeability of 'anxious' and 'eager' to express enthusiasm is changing, influenced by linguistic and cultural factors.
Deep dives
The Evolution of Discourse Markers
Discourse markers, such as 'well' and 'anyway', have been used in the English language for centuries. They serve as subtle clues about intentions and help connect sentences. Examples of old English discourse markers include 'what', which expressed surprise, and 'THA', a precursor to 'then'. Middle English introduced markers like 'anone' and 'I mean', while early modern English saw the use of 'prithy' and 'mary'. Familiar modern markers like 'right' and 'actually' emerged later. These markers have a long history of helping communication flow and indicate important shifts.
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